Vol 27 No. 03 - December 1949

Joseph Young Latham, Early Day School Teacher

Miss Rina Latham

Joseph Young Latham, (familiarly known as Dode Latham), was born in Blanco county, Texas, February 22, 1865, on Spring Creek, near the junction of Spring Creek and White Oak Creek. His parents were Mr. and Mrs. G. W. A. Latham, who for many years lived in Blanco and Llano counties during the strenuous days for the pioneers. On December 11, 1891, he was married to Miss Annie Shults of Waters Creek, Llano county. He taught school around through the country until he came to New Mexico in 1897. He made Carlsbad his home and taught school there until he went into the goat business. He went to Oklahoma twice, and each time cyclones wiped him out. Then he tried his luck in South Dakota, but returned to the Sacramento Mountains in New Mexico, and was chief of police in Alamogordo for twelve years. Then he engaged in the mercantile business for a few years, and settled in Alamogordo, where he lived until he died August 8, 1948, at the age of 83 years. Here is his story. Contains old photos of: Silas F. Latham; Tommy Shelley, Miss Sarah Jane Shelley, Silas Gibson, Samuel Gibson, Ben M. Gibson.

Mentions: Spring Creek * Wright's Creek * G. W. A. Latham, * Uncle Ben Gibson * John Backues and Ben Phillips * the Pecan Creek neighborhood * Silas Gibson * Samuel Gibson * Robert Hardin, and sister, Deborah, and daughter, Effie, and Mrs. Hardin's children * Lee and Melissa Phillips * Joe Gibson * Tommie Shelly * Eli Shelly * Miss Jane Shelly * Fort Concho * Centralia Draw, * Castle Gap * Cape Horn * Black Creek, on the Pacos river * Mesquite Hill in Llano county * Double Horn Creek * Fredericksburg * Mrs. Albino Fox * R. L. Tate * Brother Willie * Miss Mary Reams * M. R. Sheppard * Leon Haynes * Thomas Bridges * Damon Slator and Jim Backues * Code Phillips * John Haley, and James Moore * Montgomery Phillips or Dever Harrington * Dr. B. G. Latham * Macedonia Baptist church * Mr. Lincoln * John C. Tate * Flat Rock * La Vista * Rev. Talley and Mr. Hallford, * Miss Irene Frances * Mr. A. Davis * Robert Hardin and the Sugart boys * Miss Annie Shults of Waters Creek, Llano county * Pecan Creek school * Alamogordo * Sacramento Mountains * Mollie Hardin.

When The Coyote Spoke

J. Marvin Hunter, Sr.

“When J. Frank Dobie visited me in Bandera a couple of years ago, he asked if I could give him a coyote yarn to use in a book he was then writing. I did not have a coyote yarn in stock, but told him I could tell him a good one on the lobo. He said he was not interested in the lobo, for his book would be wholly devoted to the coyote. A few months ago Mr. Dobie's latest book, "The Voice of the Coyote," came from the press, and is most interesting. As I read through it, I recalled that I really did have a good coyote yarn, and I am sorry that I did not pass it on to Mr. Dobie at the time...” Mentions:* Sonora * Devil's River News * Mike and Steve Murphy * Del Rio * Uncle Billy Franklin.

Treed On A Rock By A Band Of Yelling Indians

John Warren Hunter

About the close of the Civil War, a number of families located on Hickory Creek, at the western base of House Mountain in Llano county. The heads of these families were frontier stockmen, and for mutual protection had erected their cabins and established their domiciles in close proximity one to another. Among these families were Rev. R. G. Stone, a Baptist minister, his two sons, William Kidd, and others. Indian raids and depredations were numerous during those early days, and House Mountain, being one of the most noted landmarks in all that section of country, the settlers often found themselves in the path of the Red man. This account describes the ordeal of Mr. William Kidd and Harve Putman when assaulted by Indians.

Mentions: Fort Concho and Fort McKavett * the San Saba above Menardville * Hickory Creek * Birdtown, now Round Mountain, Blanco county.

How General Sherman Saved Texas From Indian Savagery

General William Tecumseh Sherman was not held in very high esteem by the average Southerner at the close of the war between the States, which raged in all its fury from 1861 to 1865. Feeling toward General Sherman akin to hatred, at the close of the war, rankled in the minds of the Texans; not that the Texans' homes had been razed by the torch of war; but because of a sympathy for those who suffered and paid the penalty for rebelling against what they regarded as a violation of vested rights. But events which are here related softened the bitter animosities engendered during the war. They occurred before the red hot Texan temper had time to cool.

Mentions: The Freedman's Bureau * Dr. Homer Thrall * General R. B. Marcy * Satanta, head chief of the Kiowas * Fort Sill reservation * Salt Creek, Jack county * John Mullins, James S. Elliott, Samuel Elliott, M. J. Baxter and Jesse Bowman * R. A. Day and Charlie Brady * James Williams * Thomas Brazeal * Nathaniel Long * Colonel Mackenzie * Fort Richardson * W. W. Duke, R. J. Winders, J. R. Robinson, W. H. McConnell, Peter Hart and H. H. Gaines * Hon. Lowrie Tatem * Satanta, Kicking Bird, Satank and Lone Wolf * General Grierson * Lone Wolf * Jacksboro jail * S. W. T. Lanham of Weatherford * Thomas Ball and J. A. Woolfork of Weatherford * Thomas W. Williams, John Cameron, Everett Johnson, H. B. Verner, Samuel Cooper, William Hensley, John H. Brown, Peter Lynn, Peter Hart, Daniel Brown, L. P. Bunch and James Copley. The principal witnesses were Colonel R. S. Mackenzie, Lowrie Tatem, and Thomas Brazeal. Mr. Brazeal * Judge Charles Soward * Mr. Ball and Mr. Woolfork * Big Bow, and First Bear, and Eagle Heart * Tehanna.

The Latin Settlement at Sisterdale

Moritz Tiling

Account describes early German settlement which became known as the “Latin Settlement” at Sisterdale, northwest of San Antonio, that became known as the Latin Settlement at Sisterdale, so named from two mountains overlooking the valley and traversed by the Sister Creek, formed two brooks that run in a parallel direction for miles.

Mentions: Dr. Adolf Douay, Dr. E. Runge, Ed Degener, Ottmar von Behr, A. von Westphal, Prof. Rodus, Dr. Ernst Kapp, Julius Dressel, Captain E. B. H. Schneider and Dr. A. Hartzberg. Dr. Douay * Edward Degener * Dr. Frederick Kapp. E. B. H. Schneider * the College of Minden, Westphalia * the Turner Rifles * Prof. Ernst Kapp * the Houston Turnverein * Louis Philipp of Orleans * Franz von Loeher * Dr. Adolf Douay, Dr. E. Runge, Ed Degener, Ottmar von Behr, A. von Westphal, Prof. Rodus, Dr. Ernst Kapp, Julius Dressel, Captain E. B. H. Schneider and Dr. A. Hartzberg. * Lieutenant Colonel Zink * von Wastphal, Dr. Runge, con Donop, von Meusebach * Paul of Wuerttemberg * the "Freier Verein" (free association), * San Antonio Zeitung * O. von Behr * Prince Solms * John McMullen * the Fisher and Miller grant * Mr. Vanderlip.

Tragedies of Montague County

Account detailing some of the early day tragedies of Montague county, including the Sad Fate of Daniel Wainscot and Jack Kilgore: The Killing of Little Henry Davis; Death of Spence Moore and His Son, Ira; Attack on Jim Box Family, etc.

Mentions:Mrs. W. R. Potter * John Willingham and Bob Wainscot * Buchanan Valley * the Frank Biggers place, on Denton Creek * Cash McDonald * Fine McFarland, Ike Wainscot * John Willingham * Mrs. Andy Jackson of Bowie * Bill Freeman * Mrs. Huse Wainscot of Denver * Bradin's Bluff and Clear Creek, * Doctor Polly * Forestburg * Bud Morrie of Montague * Frank Bigger * Gainesville * Decatur * Anderson White * Victoria Peak * Queen's Peak * Uncle Johnnie Roe * a man named Cryner * the killing of John Bradin * Barrel Springs * Bill Davis, who lived in Grayson county * Henry Davis * the McFarland home * the Wiley B. Savage * the Perryman settlement * Mrs. McFarland * Pittman Hollow * Lewis Davis * Mr. Moore * Spencer Moore * Ike Wainscot * John Wainscot * Charlie Grant, Bill Grant, John Loving and Zeke Huffman * the "Head of Elm," * a man named Cherry and a one-armed negro called Old Jack Loring * Charlie Grant' * Jim Coursey and Captain Brunson.

The Adventures of Dr. W. A. Allen

This story was taken from the book, "Adventures with Indians and Wild Game," by Dr. William A. Allen. It is the story of a bald eagle and a rattlesnake in a death battle, in Wyoming. Mentions:* the Yellowstone Valley * the Crow tribe * the mouth of Stillwater * H. Countryman * son of Birdshirt.

Ozonan Cooke Finds Elation in Barbecue Preparing Art

Jackie Nodler

Account of the life of R. J. Cooke of Ozona. He was born in either 1875 or 1877, his father, W. G. Cooke, was a farmer in Somervell county, but in 1881 he moved his family to Bandera county and started ranching. In 1894 he went to Rocksprings and became a ranch hand for T. W. Patrick. Patrick sent him first to Crockett county with a herd of cattle. Mr. Cooke intended to return to Rocksprings the next day, but he liked the infant town of Ozona and decided to stay on. Here is his story.

Mentions: Hancock and Perner & Co., and G. L. Bunger * J. W. Henderson * Crockett County Hotel and Joe North's present-day Ozona * W. H. Augustine * the Perner building * Miss Lucinda Patrick * The Cooke-Rite Barbecue House * J. W. Friend * C. E. Davidson * son Joe * Joe Tom * Becky * Sanderson * Cooke's Barbecue in Ozona * Mrs. Jack Sawyer, and Mrs. Virgil Oden, * Mrs. Edgar Schwarz of Boerne * Mrs. Ben Jones, San Angelo * Mrs. Maurine Black of Iraan; Green Cooke, Sanderson and Cleophas Cooke, Ozona.